


Longest Journey - January

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-03-04
Updated: 2001-03-04
Packaged: 2019-05-15 19:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14796362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The longest journey begins with a single step.  Or nine months, whichever's easiest.





	1. Longest Journey - January

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins...

January  


"Happy new year." Toby said softly as he slipped his arms   
around his wife and rested his fingers on her bulging tummy. She   
smiled and leaned back into him.   
"To you too." She whispered as she closed her eyes. "Again."  
"How do you feel?" He asked softly.   
"I feel good." She assured him. "Very good. Best I've felt in a   
long time."  
"That's good." He said as he kissed her neck. "You gonna rest?"  
"Why should I rest? I feel great." She replied as she turned   
and rested her head against his chest. He smiled and placed his hand   
on her stomach. Suddenly, a small jump beat against his hand and he   
pulled back.   
"Oh, wow." He said softly. KD laughed.   
"Oh, my God. Toby, she kicked." She said softly.  
"Yeah, he did." He replied softly as he put his hand on her   
stomach again. He smiled as he felt another kick. "This is so   
amazing." He whispered.  
"It truly is." She whispered with her eyes slightly closed. "It   
always is. It was before." She added weakly. Toby kissed her forehead.  
"Things are going to be okay. No matter what." He promised her.   
She looked at him and smiled.   
"Somehow, I believe you." She whispered. "Thank you, Toby, for   
being such a wonderful person." He smiled and kissed her deeply.  
"I had a good example to follow from." He whispered back.   
"Okay, you two. Break it up." Josh said as he came into the   
room. "You guys can't just make-out wherever you want to in this   
House of ours."   
"Well, we figured since you people are always late anyway, we   
wouldn't have anything to worry about." KD retorted.  
"Besides, we're used to you walking in on us." Toby added. "So   
we figured, why break habit?"   
"Toby, are you being playful?" Josh teased.  
"Never." Toby retorted quite seriously.   
"Okay, everyone. Let's look at the polls." Leo said as he   
walked into the mural room with Sam right behind him.  
"No, let's not. Let's talk about Sam and Mal's wedding on   
Sunday." Josh replied playfully. Sam blushed furiously.   
"A January wedding, Sam. I never would have pegged you as   
such." KD teased.   
"Well, we had to compromise." Sam retorted playfully. "She   
wanted November, I wanted May, we settled on January."   
"Interesting choices in any case." Leo murmured.   
"It's better than an elopement or a spur of the moment   
wedding." Sam replied.  
"Hey." KD said before sticking out her tongue. "I'm quite happy   
with spur of the moment."  
"Your circumstances were special." Josh said with a grin.   
"And CJ and Danny are holding their "official" wedding in   
June." KD added. "So we're all just as good as you are, Mr. High and   
mighty."  
"Hey, now, let's not get hostile." Leo insisted.  
"We're just playing, Leo." Josh replied.   
"Something you kids are always doing. Can we look at the   
numbers now?" Leo asked as he held up some papers.  
"They say what they've been saying for weeks. Joss is winning   
the Democrats. Mathis is winning the Republicans. Green party is   
probably going to end up nominating Eric Young. Independents are   
leaning towards Jake Brickenhouse." KD recited from her memory the   
latest poll results.  
"Okay." Leo paused. "Good. Any questions, anybody?" He asked.   
"Yeah, when are the Zieglers gonna tell us if they have boys or   
girls?" Josh asked.  
"We don't even know, Lyman." Toby retorted.   
"The baby just kicked." Katy said with a soft smile. Everyone   
smiled. Leo couldn't help but grin. Toby looked at him and then   
jerked his head. Leo moved over and hesitantly put his hand on KD's   
stomach. He grinned as he felt a soft kick.  
"Whoever that was is going to be a hell of a soccer player." He   
said softly.   
"What, does he have a football scholarship in his future?" Josh   
teased.  
"Men. Always convinced pregnant women have boys on the way." CJ   
said as she walked into the room.  
"See, now that's what I'm saying!" KD added.   
"Odds have got to be in our favor, don't they? I mean women are   
dominating this planet, aren't they?" Josh asked.  
"That's right and don't you forget it." KD retorted.   
"Right on." CJ added. Everyone looked at her. "What?"  
"Right on?" Josh repeated.  
"Yeah?" CJ asked. "It's a perfectly okay saying."  
"Yeah, for sixteen-year-olds." Sam said.  
"Not so." CJ retorted.   
"Can we stop arguing about CJ's diction and talk about our   
president's chances of being re-elected? Maybe talk about the issues   
he's getting creamed on or that might be addressed during his   
campaign?" Leo asked.   
"Where's the CREEP? Isn't this their job?" KD teased.   
"We're on the CREEP." Leo reminded her.  
"True, but still..." She paused with a playful smile. "I'm   
ready to go home and nap." She said finally, too tired to be   
difficult. Toby smiled weakly and held her close. She snuggled into   
him contentedly.  
"You want to go lie down?" Leo asked worriedly.  
"Yeah, okay." She said with a weak smile and then let Toby lead   
her away.  
"I said this was going to happen. They can't help with re-  
election if they're always worried about her health." Josh pointed   
out.  
"Josh! She's having twins. Show some compassion for crying out   
loud." CJ retorted.   
"I'm just saying, maybe we should let them off of the hook and   
recruit someone else for this purpose. Or we can count them as one   
member and get someone to take the vacant spot." Josh replied. "I   
realize that they're worried about her and that she needs to rest, so   
can't we replace her or something?"  
"You're insane." CJ exclaimed.   
"Like Donna, or Mandy or Ainsley Hayes or someone." Josh   
exclaimed.  
"Mandy might be able to help us out. Her business has been   
slowing down." Leo pointed out.   
"Mandy also left us in a time of great turmoil." CJ retorted.  
"Doesn't make her a bad politician. Call her, Josh." Leo said.  
"Me? I can't call her." Josh exclaimed.  
"Why not?" Sam asked.  
"Cause I haven't seen her in so long. I mean, she doesn't know   
I'm married." Josh started.   
"Josh, the whole country knows you're married. The only way she   
could not know that you're married is if she's been chained up in a   
dark dungeon with her eyes and mouth taped shut and giant earmuffs on   
her head for the past six months." CJ retorted sharply. Josh paused.  
"True, but still-" He started.   
"Sam, could you call her?" Leo asked.   
"Yeah, I will." Sam replied with a nod.  
"Anything else?" Josh asked.  
"Plenty." Leo exclaimed.

  


	2. Longest Journey - January 2

 

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
"Every Time I Close My Eyes" is a song by Babyface Edmonds (beautiful   
song) and is not mine. To sue me would be a waste of time and money.  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins... 

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. And Mrs. Samuel   
Seaborn!" Josh announced as he raised his glass. Sam laughed and held   
Mallory closer to his side as they walked into the gloriously   
decorated ballroom.   
"Otherwise known as Mr. And Mrs. Mallory O'Brien." KD chorused.   
Everyone laughed and Mallory nodded playfully. Sam blushed slightly.   
"They're still debating." The President added.   
"How about Sam and Mallory Seaborn-O'Brien?" CJ suggested.  
"Or Sam and Mallory McGarry?" Leo said playfully.   
"Or Sam and Mallory O'Brien-Seaborn-McGarry?" Toby said   
passively.   
"Can we stop musing about the name and just get to the food?"   
Sam asked helplessly. Mallory raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, it's   
important to me, but I don't want it to be a national conversation   
topic." He clarified quickly.  
"Ah ha." Mallory said softly with a smile. "Then let's eat."   
"Don't we have to have a first dance?" The President pointed   
out. "Strike up that band." He commanded as he took his wife into his   
arms. "Sam, take your wife out on the dance floor." He added. Sam   
smiled and took Mal's hand in his. Everyone watched as the happy   
couple walked out on to the floor and pulled close together into a   
dance.

Girl, it's been a long, long time coming  
But I, I know it's been worth the wait  
It feels like springtime in winter  
It feels like Christmas in June  
It feels like heaven just opened up  
Its gates for me and you

As Sam and Mallory danced across the floor, Toby slipped his   
arms around his wife's ever-growing belly and rested his chin on her   
shoulder. Jed kissed his wife's neck and looked around the room. Leo   
held Jeri in his arms and just stared at his daughter and his new son-  
in-law. Josh and Donna stood together happily. CJ and Danny glanced   
back and forth from the dancing newlyweds to each other, smiles   
permanently plastered on their faces. David and Ginger were sitting   
at a table, their hands latched together. Charlie kissed Zoey's   
temple and smiled at her as her eyes fell on him.   
Love was in the room.

And every time I close my eyes  
I thank the Lord that I've got you  
And you've got me too  
And every time I think of it  
I pinch myself cause  
I don't believe it's true  
That someone like you  
Loves me too

"I love you." Sam said softly as he gazed into his wife's   
eyes. "I had gotten to the point where I believed that I would be   
alone for the rest of my life, and then you asked me to the Chinese   
opera." He said with a twinkle in his eye. "You changed my life in   
that moment, Mal."  
"And you changed mine." Mallory said softly. "Sam, the things   
we've been through, the way you've been there for me, and the way   
we've talked, the things we've talked about... I feel more content   
with you than I've ever felt with anyone before in my life, save only   
my parents."  
"Can't forget them." Sam whispered before kissing her   
gently. "Here's to the rest of our lives, Mal." He whispered. She   
smiled and kissed him a second time.   
"And here's to all our yesterdays together." She   
whispered. "The future cannot exist without the past."   
"Amen." He replied softly.

Girl, I think that you're truly something  
And you're, you're every bit of a dream come true  
With you, baby, it never rains  
And it's no wonder  
The sun always shines when I'm near you  
It's just a blessing I found someone like you

"Zoey." Charlie whispered. "I wanted to ask you something."   
"What's that, Charlie?" Zoey asked softly as she watched her   
friends dance. Charlie turned her slightly to look at him and smiled   
weakly.  
"I was thinking, and we're too young to be thinking about the   
things that our friends are going through. But I wanted to give you   
something for when that time comes." He said softly and then offered   
up a small claddaugh ring to her. "I heard this is a symbol of a   
strong relationship, and I want it to be a symbol of the future I   
think we're destined to have together. It's a promise ring, Zoey." He   
whispered. By this time, tears had come to Zoey's eyes.   
"Oh, Charlie." She whispered as he slipped the ring on her   
finger.  
"We've been through so much." He whispered.   
"Thank you, Charlie." Zoey said before hugging him tightly. "I   
love you."  
"I love you." He replied.

And every time I close my eyes  
I thank the Lord that I've got you  
And you've got me too  
And every time I think of it  
I pinch myself cause  
I don't believe it's true  
That someone like you  
Loves me too

"You know you want boys too." Toby whispered into his wife's   
ear. KD laughed and shook her head.  
"Whatever they are, I will love them all the same." She replied   
softly as she turned her head slightly to look into his eyes.  
"Good answer." He whispered before kissing her gently. "Are we   
ever going to talk about names?"   
"Thought we did already. We're naming them Jorge and   
Constantinople if they're boys and Bridgitta and Babsy if they're   
girls." KD said innocently.  
"Ha, ha." He retorted. "Seriously."   
"Seriously, I've been thinking about it. And I was meaning to   
ask you: do you want to find out what the sexes of the twins are when   
we see the doctor next week, or do you want to wait and be   
surprised?" She asked softly. Toby paused.   
"Can I just say that I want you, then kiss you and then we can   
decide this later?" He asked playfully.   
"Bring on the kiss, love." She whispered back just before he   
obeyed.

To think of all the nights I cried myself to sleep  
You really ought to know just what you mean to me  
It's only right that you be in my life right here with me  
Oh, baby, baby...

Jed looked around the room and smiled fondly. So much had   
happened since the election. So much had come to light. His children   
were growing up. His protégés had grown up. Everyone was getting   
married. Leo had gotten divorced and fallen in love again. KD had   
come out of nowhere and back into their lives. Toby had gone from   
being a sour old grump to a light, airy, happy, considerate...   
sour old grump. Josh had found wisdom beyond his years. Sam had   
found... wisdom beyond his years. CJ had finally broken through   
everyone's thick skulls and gotten the respect she deserved. She was   
the strong woman she always was, and finally she'd proven it to the   
single-minded men around her. He was proud of her.   
He was proud of all of them. Slowly he took his wife's hand and   
led her out on the floor. Everyone soon joined them: Josh took   
Donna's hand and pulled her close as they began to dance slowly;   
David and Ginger got off the couch and moved into each other's arms;   
Charlie smiled at Zoey as he led her out to the floor; Leo twirled   
Jeri playfully and then pulled her close again, his hands pulling her   
tight against him; Danny playfully dragged CJ on the floor and then   
pulled her close; and Toby took his wife's hands in his, slowly   
leading her out on to the dance floor and reaching around her waist   
to hold her close and sway to the music.

And every time I close my eyes  
I thank the Lord that I've got you  
And you've got me too  
And every time I think of it  
I pinch myself cause  
I don't believe it's true  
That someone like you  
Loves me too

So far, it was a happy new year.

 


	3. Longest Journey - January 3

 

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER/NOTES/etc.: See introduction  
SUMMARY: The longest journey begins... 

"So basically, what's happening is that Mathis isn't the leader   
yet, but he's coming up around the side and we need to be ready."   
Josh said as he looked over the latest polls. "The President's in   
Illinois, right?"  
"Yeah, and he's on his way to California. He'll be back at the   
end of the week." Leo said. "CJ called and said that they're doing   
well. Everyone's really been very receptive." He added.   
"Well, receptive is one thing. Are they going to vote for us is   
another." Josh replied.  
"This just in." KD said as she waddled into the room. "Jed   
Bartlet has 53% of the vote. So far, we're winning."  
"Yeah, so far." Josh muttered.  
"Fifty-three is pretty goddamn good, Josh." Leo exclaimed.  
"What was his last poll?" Josh pointed out.  
"His last poll was taken before the campaign even started,   
Josh. We didn't have opponents to think about." Leo exclaimed.  
"But the last poll was higher, no?" Josh pointed out.  
"The last poll was `Are you happy with Bartlet, yes or no?' Now   
we're asking `who you like more, Bartlet, Mathis, Young or   
Brickenhouse or one of those many other idiots who are running for   
leader of the free world'." KD replied.   
"And in that poll, we're winning." Leo added.   
"How many candidates are there this year?" Mandy asked   
rhetorically as she entered the room. Josh jumped.  
"You need to wear a bell." He commented.  
"You need to-" Mandy started.  
"Play nice. Please? I could so not use a headache right now."   
KD exclaimed. There was a pause.  
"There are three running for democratic, two for Republican,   
two for the green party and then there are three more independents,   
so there's a total of ten primary candidates." Leo started. "Come   
election time, that means we'll have six presidential candidates, but   
the country will probably only pay attention to a maximum of four of   
them. Most of these guys never see the light."  
"Running for the democratic ticket, suicidally I might add,   
we've got one other main front-runner and a guy in the shadows that   
no one has heard of." KD joined in. "Other than Joss, we've got Chris   
Attenborough, the governor of Vermont and the shadow is Tim   
Brickwater, senator from...uh, help me out someone?"   
"Nebraska." Josh chimed in with a smirk.  
"Nebraska? Someone from Nebraska is running?" Leo asked.  
"This far into the game and you didn't know that?" Mandy asked.  
"Hey, Abe Lincoln was from Nebraska, wasn't he?" KD asked.   
"Doesn't matter. He's dead and he's not in this election." Josh   
replied.  
"Though not necessarily in that order." KD added.   
"But we are in this election, so let's talk about the   
Republicans." Josh started.  
"You're way too uptight about this election, Jolly." KD teased.   
"It's only our jobs at stake here." Josh retorted sharply.   
"Calm down, Josh. We're not counting our chickens here." Leo   
interrupted. "But we are showing a strong lead. We are making a   
strong campaign, and we're incumbent politicians that entered the   
campaign with 62% job approval rating. You can relax a little." He   
added. "Do we have to get Donna in here?" He asked playfully.   
Everyone smiled as Josh blushed slightly.  
"No. I'll be fine." He said with a soft smirk.  
"I have to go. Toby and I have got a doctor's appointment." KD   
said as she got up and headed back towards the door.   
"Everything okay?" Leo asked in his worried fatherly tone. KD   
smiled.  
"Yeah. We're just going to see if we can settle an age old   
argument." She replied before winking and leaving the room. The three   
remaining people looked at each other. Josh grinned.   
"I'll bet they're boys." He said.

"You know what they're all going to do, don't you?" KD said   
softly as Toby pulled back into the White House parking lot. He   
looked at her, the same smirk on his face that had been there ever   
since they'd left the doctor's office.  
"Half of them are going to start screaming `I told you so' and   
the rest of them are going to start that stupid game where they say   
that such and such is a good name or whatever." He replied. KD   
nodded.   
"Sounds about right." She muttered as he parked the   
car. "Sounds kind of like what's going to happen when we get home   
tonight." She added with a smirk. There was a silent pause. "We're   
month five, Toby." She said softly. He smiled weakly and then got   
out. She watched him as he walked around the car, opened her door and   
helped her out. She smiled as he closed the car door and then took   
her within his arms and held her hands on her belly.   
"That's right." He whispered. "And we're doing fine." He added   
before kissing her temple gently. "I love you, and I love our   
children, and I'm not letting you out of my sight. You just lean back   
and relax, and I'll take care of you, Katy." He whispered gently. She   
smiled, closed her eyes and hugged him tightly.   
"I love you so much." She whispered back as she tried not to   
cry.   
"Let's go in there and let them tell us what to name our   
children." Toby whispered as he kissed her eyelids and then led her   
inside.

"So??" Josh was the first one to meet them as they walked   
through the hallways. KD laughed and leaned against her husband.   
"If we tell you guys, we're telling you guys as a whole." KD   
replied.  
"Why?" Josh asked.  
"Saves us the trouble of having to say it again and again."   
Toby added as he led his wife towards her office.  
"That's it. Donna, call the senior staff together." Josh   
called. KD laughed as Toby closed the door and helped her sit down on   
the couch.   
"You pampering me again?" She asked softly. He nodded and   
kissed her forehead.  
"You bet." He whispered.  
"Four more months, Toby. Did you talk to Gary, by the way?" She   
asked.  
"Yeah, he's got a few places to show us on Saturday. There's   
one place that's actually a house that's somewhere near Mt. Vernon   
Square." He replied as he made sure she was comfortable.   
"That'd be great, to be near a park." She said softly. Suddenly   
there was a knock at the door. "Come in." She called. The door opened   
to reveal Josh, Donna, Sam, CJ and Leo standing in the doorframe,   
with a few others behind them including Margaret, David and Cathy.   
"No President. Go away." Toby exclaimed and shut the door in   
their faces. Josh cursed and looked at Leo.  
"Where is he? Where's the President?" He asked hurriedly before   
moving towards the oval office. CJ and Leo couldn't help but laugh as   
they watched him move while the others just went back to work.

"Katy? Tobe?" David called as he leaned in the room. Toby   
looked up from his reading and held a finger to his lips. David   
smiled at seeing KD asleep on Toby's lap. "Josh says that you guys   
have to come to the oval office." David said softly. "He said the   
President's waiting on the speakerphone."   
"I'll bet he is." Toby said softly as he tried to get up   
without waking his wife. She murmured and looked at him. "Hey. Go   
back to sleep." He whispered before kissing her forehead.   
"What's going on?" She whispered.   
"Go back to sleep. I'll be right back. Josh has the President   
waiting on the phonefor our update." He whispered back.  
"I should come." She started.   
"No, you should rest." He replied with a soft smile.  
"I want to come." She insisted as she started to sit up.  
"You have to rest, Katy." He tried to insist.  
"Let me come, and then you can take me home and we'll rest."   
She replied as she pulled him into a deep kiss. He kissed her back as   
he pulled her to his feet. She smiled as he helped her towards the   
Oval office. When they opened the door, they saw all the people   
they'd seen before plus Charlie, Zoey, Ginger, Mrs. Landingham, the   
First Lady and one person Toby didn't recognize.  
"Who's that?" He asked KD softly.  
"That's Fred, the janitor." KD replied, trying to hide her   
amusement.  
"Okay, now I've got everyone." Josh exclaimed. "Tell, tell,   
tell!" He said with a big grin. Donna slapped his shoulder playfully   
and got a hug in return.   
"Could you tell us already so that we can freely gang up on   
Josh for acting like a giddy little schoolboy?" CJ asked. KD and Toby   
exchanged glances as he slipped his arms around her waist.  
"We're having boys." Toby said softly as he rested his chin on   
her shoulder. Josh and Sam burst out into shouts of glee as the   
others laughed and shouted their congratulations.   
"I told you!" Josh shouted.   
"Okay, name time!" Jed exclaimed. "Who wants to start?" He   
asked as KD started laughing and Toby smirked.   
"Samuel and Joshua Ziegler!" Josh exclaimed.   
"I've always thought Josiah was a nice name." Jed's voice   
exclaimed on the speaker. "Or maybe, I don't know, Jed, or..." The   
President started. KD and Toby glanced at each other with weak smiles   
as the chatter continued.

 


End file.
